Book Boyfriends Cafe Summer Lovin' Anthology 2015

by Melinda Curtis

  “So your brother tells me you played volleyball at KU. What’d you major in?” Smitty asks as his thumbs massage the soles of my feet.

  “Exercise science. After I graduated, I worked for a few corporate places, but the big businesses weren’t for me. A few years ago, I started my own boot camp and healthy coaching program in the St. Louis area and it took off right away. Now, I have some wonderful instructors who do most of the teaching, which frees me up to travel and start other locations worldwide.”

  Smitty’s hands stop and he gives me an approving nod “That’s impressive. I like a woman who’s a go-getter.”

  My heart races at his approval, not that I’ve ever needed anyone’s before. For some reason though, it makes me a bit giddy that Smitty is impressed.

  He lifts an eyebrow. “A few years ago? So you’re what, twenty-five?”

  I laugh and shake my head. “Aren’t you sweet? I’ll be thirty in September. I graduated when I was twenty-three, worked corporate until I was twenty-five then took a year off before I got back into things.”

  “What’d you do with your year off?”

  Oh no, why’d I say that? My stomach drops and I try not to tense up. I shrug and answer nonchalantly, “Learned about life.” It’s my go-to generic answer without having to lie. Before he can dig deeper, I ask, “What about you, Smitty? What’d you do after high school?”

  “Tech school for a couple years and then I started my own construction company.”

  I squeeze his leg and smile. “Well aren’t we quite the pair of entrepreneurs?”

  He laughs. “I guess so.”

  Smitty’s smile and laughter has been rare since I’ve met him so even the small chuckle of his makes my grin wider. “You’ve seen my crazy family, what about yours? Are they anything like that?”

  His fingers knead deeper. “My parents are Jack and Diane and yes, that’s really their names.”

  I giggle. “I love that song!”

  He laughs again and my stomach flutters. “Then I have an older brother, Jack Junior who goes by JJ. He’s married with kids, still lives in St. Charles almost next door to my parents. I live pretty close as well so we all see each other pretty often.”

  “That’s nice. We’re all in the St. Louis area, but pretty spread out. My parents are in Ladue, Gavin in Kirkwood, Sissy and Will in Wentzville, and I’m in Soulard. We still get together every Sunday for dinner at my parents’.”

  Smitty lifts his gaze until it finds my eyes. “Maybe sometime you could show me around Soulard, I’ve never really hung out there.”

  My stomach drops. No, no, no. I let my guard down because this is supposed to be this week only, nothing more.

  “Sloan! Come on!” I hear my father call to me. I look over and see him and the rest of my gang walking toward the hut where the boat tour will depart.

  Sitting up slowly, I reach out and take Smitty’s hand to help him up. Moving our feet on either side of the hammock, he leans into me and kisses me softly. Mmm… His hand grips my neck and my hands move to his thighs. Easy there, Sloan, calm down!

  Smitty breaks the kiss first and we both stand. As we walk toward the boat, he reaches over and takes my hand then looks at me. “Is this okay?”

  I glance down at our hands, my heart pounding. I nod and swallow the lump in my throat. “Of course…hey, your shoulders are pretty red. I’ll put some sunscreen on when we get to the boat.”

  He nods and kisses my cheek. “Thanks.”

  My stomach knots. My God, what is this man doing to me?

  As we board the boat, my family tries not to be obvious with their stares, but they aren’t doing a good job. Smitty squeezes my hand and when we sit down, he leans to me and asks, “Are you sure it’s okay that I come?”

  I glance over at my siblings and parents who haven’t taken their eyes off us. Instead of answering him, I press my lips against his, sliding my tongue inside his mouth and pulling his head closer to me. Smitty doesn’t miss a beat as his fingers skim up and down my ribcage and I can feel my swimsuit getting damp. Well, this plan backfired, didn’t it?

  I pull away smiling. “It’s absolutely fine that you’re here. Isn’t it, family?”

  I pull my gaze away from Smitty, who is sitting in front of me almost licking his lips wanting more. My family looks like their eyes are all about to bug out of their heads and when I look at them, they all quickly nod and comment, “Oh yeah…Totally fine…Glad to have ya, Smitty…”

  Smitty moves his arm around my shoulder as the boat takes off. The water is a pristine blue and crystal clear. My family starts to relax and I snuggle against Smitty as we all watch the glass bottom of the boat, seeing sea life, coral, and the rest of the ocean floor. It’s the perfect, relaxing afternoon compared to our intense volleyball game this morning.

  “This here is a puffer fish and beside him is…” our captain tells us and I feel Smitty move his arm off my shoulder. When I look up at him, he’s already up and walking toward the back of the boat.

  I walk behind him, placing my hand on his back. “Smit, you okay?” I ask, genuinely worried.

  No sooner than the words are out of my mouth, he grabs a bucket and begins to lose his lunch. I look away, but continue rubbing his back. My mother, the mama bear that she is, stands up to come inspect for herself, but I hold my hand up to keep her at bay.

  Smitty begin mumbling apologies in between bursts of puking. I start to massage his shoulders and see how red his shoulders are. Oh no, I never put that sunscreen on! The sun, mixed with the alcohol left in his system from last night along with our volleyball workout this morning and this is looking pretty bad.

  “Smitty, have you been drinking water?” I ask as I grab a towel from Sissy’s bag and dip it in the water. I put it on his shoulders, trying to cool him off.

  His answer is inaudible and the sun poisoning is already working its tricks on him. Moving quickly, I grab two bottles of water and help him sit back down. I squat between his legs as I open the first bottle.

  “Here, Smitty, try to sip this.” I hand it to him, but he can hardly hold it. My mother sits beside him and brings the bottle to his lips. I take the other water and slowly pour it over his neck, trying to cool him down. Smitty is swaying back and forth and I need to get him back to his room so he can rest.

  Behind me, Gavin is muttering, “You really know how to pick winners, Lo.”

  I grit my teeth but don’t have a chance to respond to him. Sissy hisses at him. “Shut up, Gavin. This is the first man she’s shown interest in since Cooper, so leave her alone.”

  Gavin doesn’t back down. “Exactly and her choice is awful.”

  My mother speaks without turning her attention away from Smitty. “Both of you stop. If you can’t see that this man is hurting, then you’re blind. Let your sister do what she wants and if she needs your help, she’ll let you know.” My mother’s words are insinuating much more than just the sun poisoning.

  Both my siblings stop talking and my cheeks flush red. “Mom, it’s not like that—”

  The captain docks the boat and my mom looks at me. “Sloan, you’re a grown woman. You have needs that you’ve suppressed for much too long. This young man is obviously heartbroken. You two need to enjoy each other’s company for the week before you both have to face reality again when this trip is over.”

  I hear Sissy, Will, and Gavin trying not to laugh and my cheeks blaze now. Shaking my head, I move my body under Smitty’s arm and try to help him stand. The man is almost twice my size and I’m struggling to hold him up.

  “Son, help your sister,” my father orders Gavin. He’s been silent this whole time. I’ve always been Daddy’s little girl. He’s supported me in everything I’ve ever done. He never missed a single volleyball game in my entire career. So the fact that he’s being eerily quiet about this whole situation has me concerned.

  I can tell when Gavin moves under Smitty’s other arm because the weight is released off my shoulder. Stepping off the boat and
onto the sand, my mother hands me a bottle of aloe vera from her beach bag.

  “Give him a cold shower, dry him off well, and then put this on. Also, lots of water,” she informs me.

  I glance at my brother as we walk toward Smitty’s hotel room. “Did Mom just tell me to give a guy I just met a shower?”

  Gavin grunts. “Sounded like it to me.”

  “What’s your problem, Gav?”

  He stops and turns to me. “What’s my problem? Sloan, it’s been almost five years since—”

  “I know how long it’s been, Gavin. I’m not marrying him. I’m not even having sex with him. We’re just flirting and having fun. If I do end up sleeping with him, what’s the big deal?”

  “Lo, don’t talk to me about your sex life.”

  We’re standing outside Smitty’s door when I realize we don’t have his room key. I slip out from under his shoulder. Patting the side of his swim trunks, I find the key in his pocket. Quickly, I let us inside and Gavin walks him in the room.

  “Where do you want him?” Gavin asks and I point to the bathroom. Gavin’s eyes get wide and he begins to object, “I am NOT taking a shower with him.”

  I throw up my hands. “Of course not! Help me get him in the shower and then stick around to help me get him out.”

  Gavin narrows his eyes. “Sloan, I do not—”

  I roll my eyes. “Stop being dramatic. We’re both in our swimsuits, now come on.”

  Muttering under his breath, Gavin and I get Smitty in the shower. I step in after him, letting Smitty lean against me. Gavin turns the water on the coldest setting and I gasp as it hits my skin. My brother grins and I shake my head. He leaves the bathroom and I hear the television turn on.

  After a while, my body gets used to the frigid water. My hands move up and down Smitty’s back and I whisper in his ear, “Hey Smitty, you cooling off?”

  His hands grab my butt and he mumbles something incoherently. Shocked, I lean back and look at him. Not that I don’t want him to touch me, but if he didn’t remember last night, there’s no way he’s going to recall any of this.

  His hands move to my neck and he looks in my eyes. “Caroline, why are you so good to me?”

  I shift uncomfortably, not quite sure how to answer. I reach around him and turn off the water. Pulling back the curtain, I grab a towel and start to pat the water off his body. The T.V. goes off and Gavin knocks on the door.

  “Lo, you need help?” he calls from the other side.

  Smitty is standing on his own, but his eyes are stilled glazed over. I take his chin in my fingers. “Can you stand on your own?”

  In answer, Smitty steps out of the shower and leans over the counter. I touch his back lightly. “Are you okay? Think you’re going to get sick again?”

  Smitty shakes his head. I stick my head out the door and almost hit Gavin. “Sorry,” I mumble. “Can you get me a bottled water and then we should be fine.”

  Relieved he’s off duty, Gavin hands me the water and leaves. When I turn back to Smitty, he’s brushing his teeth. I walk back over to him, leaving the bathroom door open. I continue to dry off his back and then hand him the water. “Here, drink this,” I say softly and he nods, doing as I command.

  I kiss his shoulder blade, knowing his skin has to be on fire. He looks like a lobster and when he comes to, he’s going to hurt like hell. Squeezing the aloe vera in my hand, I warn him that it might be cold. He cringes slightly as I spread it over his back. My hands move over the slopes of the muscles in his back. Even after it’s all rubbed in, my hands continue to roam, wanting to explore his body more.

  “Turn around,” I say, barely able to get the words out. My heart is racing and I’m embarrassed to say I’m turned on.

  Smitty slowly turns and leans back against the counter, tilting his head up toward the ceiling. My hands begin their work on his torso. Taking my time, I work my way across his tight pecs and his six-pack abs. I feel slightly guilty when my thumbs rub over his nipples. I don’t know about him, but it electrifies my body when I do this to him. Scared, and just as much surprised at this feeling, I quickly pull away.

  “Ugh, I feel like shit,” Smitty mutters and I smile, relieved that he’s finally making sense.

  I kiss his cheek and take his hand. “Come on, you need to rest.”

  We walk out to the bed, his room is set up the same way mine is. I turn my back to look in his suitcase for a pair of shorts. When I turn back around, I see his bare ass, a mighty fine bare ass, as he crawls into bed. I laugh and walk over to him.

  Gently, he lies back on the bed, groaning as he does. I run my hand down his cheek and smile. His arm moves and he rubs the back of my legs. His eyes are closed, but he whispers, “Stay.”

  I bite my lip, unsure if he means me or Caroline. My mother’s words float through my mind and I nod. I kiss his forehead and he rolls over. The air conditioner kicks on and I shiver. Glancing down at myself, I’m standing there in my soaking wet swimsuit.

  I walk back over to Smitty’s suitcase and pull out a t-shirt. Holding it up, the front says “Ball Busters” and the back says “Smitty 21.” The sleeves are cutout and the shirt’s definitely too big for me but I don’t want to dig through his bag. I hold the shirt up to my nose and take a whiff. Mmm…it smells like him, an Earthy, fruity smell mixed together. Why am I so hot for him? The man has sun poisoning and all I can think about is how much I want him!

  I look back at him, passed out on the bed, and sigh. I quickly undress, wearing his shirt that hangs to my mid-thigh. I pick up a pair of his boxers and pull them on, rolling the waistband a few times until they aren’t falling off and tying the shirt behind my back.

  Quietly, I lie down on the opposite side of the bed, facing him. I watch his chest rise and fall. Reaching out, I run my finger over his eyebrow. No matter how turned on I am by this man across from me, my heart hurts for him. I know firsthand what it’s like to be in love with someone who’s left you, it’s something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. Who is this Caroline and what did she do to Smitty?

  Chapter 6

  Smitty

  Jolting straight up, my whole body is tingling painfully like a thousand Band Aids are being ripped off one at a time. I throw my legs to the floor and lean forward on my knees, putting my head in my hands. I think there’s someone in my head pounding on my eyes with a hammer. Groaning, I stand and shuffle to the bathroom. Looking in the mirror, I finally realize why my body is in so much pain, I’m sporting a new shade of neon red.

  Just like this morning, my mouth feels disgusting and dry. I pick up the water bottle on the bathroom counter and guzzle what’s left in it. My tongue runs over my teeth and I cringe at the grittiness on them. Grabbing my toothbrush, I wash away the filth and head back to my room.

  It’s dark outside and from the rumble of my stomach, it’s well past dinner time. I drag my hand down my face. Thank goodness I was wearing my hat or else my face and head would also be in pain. What the hell happened and how did I even get back to my room?

  I bend over and retrieve another bottle of water from the mini fridge. When I stand up, I see Sloan’s red bikini she was wearing earlier tossed on the floor. Glancing down at myself, I notice that I’m buck naked. Did we have sex? My mind is racing, only making the throbbing in my head worse. I fumble through my suitcase and find the unopened box of condoms at the bottom. No, no, no.... I’m not panicking because I might have slept with her and didn’t use a condom. No, I’m panicking because I can’t remember a thing.

  Over my shoulder, I hear someone moving in bed and I spin around quickly. The room is dark, except for the illumination from the moon and the bathroom light I left on. It’s just enough for me to make out Sloan looking sexy as ever in my t-shirt and boxers…on the opposite side of the bed where I was. Fuck, I didn’t even hold her afterwards. What kind of asshole am I?

  She moves out of bed and walks toward me. “Feeling better?”

  I swallow hard as she makes her way in my dir
ection. “Um…yeah. Uh, what happened?”

  This gorgeous woman is standing directly in front of me and I can feel my manhood twitch with her proximity. I squeeze the water bottle in my hand as she starts to reach for me and stops.

  “I think you had sun poisoning. Did you put any sunscreen on today?” she asks, her eyebrows narrowed like a mother scolding her child.

  Her actions bring a smile to my face. I reach out and run my hand down her cheek. “No… I had other things on my mind.”

  I can make out her features, but I can’t fully see her face. I can, however, feel her cheek get warmer under my hand and I smile. She tilts her head and leans into my touch.

  “Sorry, I’m just worried about you.”

  Worried about me? Ever since Caroline left, the only women worried about me have been Jules and my mother. It’s especially charming now that Sloan does. I lean down and brush my lips across hers. My manhood jerks and I remember I’m standing naked in front of her. I take a step back, sliding my hand down her arm until our fingers interlock.

  Glad that the room is dark, I still avert my eyes and stare at the floor when I ask, “Umm… did we…”

  Sloan squeezes my hand. “Did we have sex? No. I helped you take a cold shower, both in our swimsuits. When I came out of the bathroom, you were crawling into bed naked. Yo—uh, I didn’t want to leave you alone, but my suit was soaking so I hope you don’t mind I borrowed some clothes.”

  Whew, that’s a relief, and completely mortifying at the same time. My hands move to her hips where my boxers hang low on her waist, rolled up so they don’t fall off. My fingers walk across her bare skin and Sloan sucks in her breath. I smile and slide my hand over my shirt that she’s wearing. The sleeves are cut out and show off more of her breasts than her swimsuit did earlier. My hands stop at the top of her rib cage and my thumbs press into each of her full, soft bosoms.

  “God, I never knew how sexy this shirt was,” I mumble as I lean down and kiss her neck, kneading each breasts in my hands. Every ounce of pain my body is feeling right now, and in this past year, is gone with Sloan in my grasp. I take a step forward, forcing her to walk backward toward the bed. Her knees hit the mattress and she braces herself, not falling back like I’d anticipated.