When I parked in the hotel lot, I walked around to open her door and led the way inside. She kept close by, peering around like a hawk, like someone would notice her.
“Relax, Kandy,” I told her, pushing the button for the elevator. “The prices of these hotel rooms cost triple what a college student pays for rent.” I smiled down at her, grabbing her hand, and she nodded, exhaling.
“You’re right.”
I smirked. “When am I not right?”
She looked up at me, head cocking, ready to challenge that statement. “When you’re being a dick,” she answered.
“Here you go with the name calling,” I chuckled, and she bit a grin.
The elevator took us up to the top floor, and I pressed a hand to her upper back as we walked to my room. With one swipe of my key card, we were in. She was mesmerized before she could even get inside.
“Holy shit! This is where you’re staying?” Her eyes were wide with wonder, her mouth agape as she shrugged out of her coat.
“Temporarily.” I shut the door behind us and took my jacket off.
She turned, her ponytail flipping with her. “And you said you’re leaving tomorrow?”
“Yep. Tomorrow morning.”
“Oh.” A shadow of sadness ran across her face, but she brushed it off with ease, turning to soak it all in. “I’ve never been in a penthouse before.”
“They’re pretty spectacular.” I tucked my hands in my pockets as she flitted about, walking past the furniture and running her fingers over the leather. She went to one of the doors, pushing it open. “Nice, spacious bedroom. Beautiful duvet and glorious canopy.”
“Sounds like someone has been watching too many home improvement shows?”
She giggled. “It gets pretty boring here. I watch them with my roommate. Gives me ideas of how I’d like my future house to look.”
She was fucking adorable. I missed that.
She came back and stopped at the wet bar. “Been drinking?” she asked, picking up the half-empty bottle of bourbon.
“Did a little drinking last night when I got back from the seminar.”
“Why?” The skin around her eyes tightened.
“Because reality decided to punch me in my face, yet again.” I took a step toward her as she placed the bottle back down.
“When you say reality punched you in the face, what do you mean by that?” Her voice was soft. It seemed she wanted the answer, but was also afraid to have it.
“It means that during those weeks when I didn’t call or text, thinking I was helping you, you were getting to know someone else.” My jaw clenched. “He had his hands on you and I saw the way he looked at you, like something intimate had already happened between you two.” I was getting angry just thinking about it. My teeth clenched and unclenched, but I kept a level head for her. “I realized that if I hadn’t come in when I did, it may have been too late. Hell, it’s probably already too late.”
She didn’t say a word, just stared at me. Only, she didn’t stare like before, where she seemed to admire everything about me, the sound of my voice, and the way that I looked at her. No, she stared like she was confused and surprised and slightly enamored.
“I don’t know why I thought I was doing both of us a favor,” I went on, head shaking. I lowered my gaze, studying the black Vans on her feet instead. “Maybe it’s because I know I’m no good for you, Kandy. And things are going to keep happening in my life and getting worse and I don’t want you anywhere near it. I’m a fuck-up and a betrayer, but I feel like a piece of myself is missing without you, so being right here, right now, with you is….” I dragged a palm over my face. “Fuck. My sister has gotten into my fucking head. She’s the reason I’m even here, doing this.” I looked up and she was still staring. “Damn it, why aren’t you stopping me from saying this shit? Tell me to shut up or something!”
“What were you going to say?” she murmured, taking a step forward. “Being with me right here, right now is what?”
I met her eyes, and they were damp. “Right,” I answered, dropping my hand, as if all hope were lost. “Being with you right here, right now feels right. And before you try to leave or turn it down, I want you to know something.” I took another step toward her, looking her deep in the eyes. “I want you to know that I don’t give a fuck what anyone says or how much society is against us. What we had, as fucked up as it may have been, felt right and yes, I have my regrets, and I do wish our situation had been different, but when I think about that stuff, none of the regrets include loving you.”
A tear slid down her cheek in an instant. She only stared, and I was sure I’d fucked things up or said the wrong thing. I figured maybe she’d felt the complete opposite and hated my fucking guts now. She’d had time to develop the hate, after all. “Look, Kandy, I understand if you don’t want to be here. I can take you back—”
“No,” she breathed, rushing my way. “Now is when you shut up and show me how much you really love me.” Our bodies collided and as she threw herself at me, I caught her in my arms, groaning when her lips found mine.
With her in my arms, my actions couldn’t be controlled. I picked her up, gripping her ass in my hands and carrying her across the penthouse to the bedroom.
We kissed hard, sucked and licked and nipped. Her moans were breathy and sweet, while mine were deep and guttural.
“Fuck,” I groaned behind her lips while she moaned. “Fuck, baby, I’ve missed you.” My knees hit the edge of the mattress, causing me to fall forward. We landed on the bed, and she went straight for my shirt, ripping at the buttons. I went for her T-shirt, tugging it over her head and then unbuttoning her jeans. I slid them down to her ankles, wasting no time burying myself between her legs again, then devouring the sweet lips I missed so much.
Not many words needed to be spoken. We both wanted the same thing. It was only two months, but it felt like it’d been a century. We groped and snatched and tore at each other’s clothes, fumbling over one another until we were both bare.
I pushed her to the center of the bed, my cock hard and anxious, and pressed the tip to the entrance of her pussy. Her eyes found mine and she clutched my face, closing her eyes and bringing my head down to kiss her. With the ease of kiss, I slowly plunged into her. The thrust was long and powerful and she gasped loudly, dropping a hand to dig her nails into my shoulder.
“Cane,” she moaned as I drew back. I pushed forward again, picking up one of her legs and pressing her knee to her chest, my other hand cupped the back of her neck, and my cock had a mind of it’s own. Looking down, I watched as my cock slid in and out of her beautiful, wet pussy.
“Shit, I’ve missed this,” I groaned.
“Swear,” she whimpered.
“Swear it on my life, baby.” I dropped my face, burying it in the crook of her neck. “I’ve missed this. Us. You and me. I missed having your tight, wet pussy wrapped around my cock.” She moaned louder when I provided another stroke.
“Tell me what you’ve missed,” I demanded.
“Everything.” Her breath was warm as it ran over my chin. “I missed your hands, and how they held me like this,” she panted, sliding a palm down my arm. “I missed your mouth, and how ours were like magnets when we were close like this.” I sighed, swelling up inside her. Her voice was going to be my undoing. “I miss your cock, and how good it makes me feel. How big you feel inside my pussy. Sometimes I feel too small for you, but I’ll take everything you give me because I need it. I love it and miss it so much.” She sighed on my mouth, and I couldn’t help myself. I picked up my pace, my grip around the back of her neck tightening.
Her breathing picked up with every rapid thrust, her beautiful tits bouncing with the momentum. I dropped her knee, wrapped both hands around her thin waist, and forced her legs around either side of mine. At this angle, her pussy was even tighter around my cock.
I was so fucking hard inside her that it was becoming unbearable—too much to hold back. She was right. She was to
o small for me. It took everything in me not to come on the spot when I first broke through.
I stared down at her, watching her writhe and bite into her bottom lip. Her tits kept bouncing and her brown nipples were erect, dying to be sucked. I dropped my head, latching my mouth around it, sucking like my life depended on it.
“Shit,” I rumbled around her nipple. “I’m about to come.” Fire built up inside me, memories replaying in my head. Memories of all the things I missed. The lake house, the tenderness, the fiery passion only we could conjure.
With several more deep strokes, I came. I came hard and swift and there was no stopping it.
“Oh, shit.” My mouth was on her chest, a hard shudder taking over me with every gush of release.
Moaning, she ran her nimble fingers through my hair. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d come like that. Shit—the last time it’d happened was with her, on the sofa in my office. I hadn’t touched a woman since. I couldn’t bring myself to do anything with anyone else.
I picked my head up and she was already staring down at me.
“Not done,” I mumbled, pulling out and bringing my face between her legs. I lowered a hand, dipping a finger between her folds and sliding it down to her pussy. She clenched around my finger when I pressed my thumb down on her clit. “You like that?” I murmured, and she nodded, clutching the sheets.
“I need it,” she moaned.
“Need what, baby? Tell me what you need.”
“I need you to make me come,” she begged. “It’s been so long.”
That was all she had to say. I kept a finger inside her and leaned forward, sealing my mouth around her clit. She let out a shrill gasp, her fingers going straight for my hair to clutch it. I didn’t stop. I knew her clit was her trigger spot so I rolled my tongue over it repeatedly, which made her moans come out heavier. I dipped another finger inside and that’d truly tipped her over the edge.
“Oh, Cane!” she cried out. Her slick cunt tightened around my fingers and she worked her hips in small circles until she came. She squealed next, and as badly as I wanted to smile with satisfaction, I refused to stop giving this woman all the pleasure I owed. She came in a matter of seconds, gripping my hair tight.
When she was over the high, her hips fell like dead weight and she let out a soft gasp.
I pulled my mouth and fingers away, gazing up at her. She’d thrown an arm over her forehead, and as I rose between her legs, she focused on me. I brought those same fingers to my mouth and sucked the cum away. It was a combination of both of us, the taste of it pure, illicit perfection.
She smiled, covering her eyes. “I can’t believe you just did that.” Humor laced her voice.
I lay beside her, grabbing her by the waist and bringing her head to my chest. “Missed that,” I breathed in her hair.
“Me too.”
Silence filled the air. There was a lot running through my mind, but yesterday during the seminar got to me the most.
“The boy who was touching you…is it serious with him?”
“No,” she answered, and she almost sounded sad about it.
I picked her head up, forcing her eyes on me. “Do you like him?”
She stared into my eyes, and before she even responded, I already knew the answer. “He’s a good guy. A really good guy, actually.”
“How so?” She tried to pull away, but I kept her chin trapped between my fingers. “How so, Kandy?”
“I don’t know, he just is. He does little things that any sane girl would kill to have.”
“Things like what?”
“He’s attentive and caring. Patient. He holds doors and offers to buy me lunch, and apologizes way too much, even when he really didn’t do anything wrong. We’re not together, and I feel bad that we aren’t because he’s such a nice guy.” Her eyes fell. “He’s the complete opposite of you,” she whispered. “And I think that’s why I can’t bring myself to want him.”
Wow. That had truly shocked me to hear.
“Damn.” I released her chin and she dropped her head, placing her cheek on my chest again. “Is that a bad thing? Him being the opposite of me?”
“Kind of. For one, being around him made me realize that I’m not ready to move on yet.” She ran the pad of her forefinger over my ribcage, drawing the shape of a heart. “And two, because kissing him didn’t feel anything like kissing you.”
“You kissed him?” I frowned, grabbing her chin and putting her eyes on mine again.
“You shouldn’t be so surprised. I was trying to move on.” Her voice was light.
My nostrils flared, but deep down, I knew I couldn’t be too upset. I’d allowed this to happen. Still, it didn’t stop me from being a possessive asshole.
I leaned forward, cupping her ass in my hand and shifting her up just enough until her lips were hovering above mine. My other hand wrapped around the back of her head, my fingers getting tangled in the loose strands that’d fallen out of her ponytail, and I kissed her.
I kissed her hard and deep and she moaned, body melting into my grasp. I kissed her until my lips were raw and almost numb. “He doesn’t have shit on me,” I growled. “Kissing him didn’t feel like this because he doesn’t know what you like.”
She let out a sharp breath, pushing her groin into mine.
“I know what you like.” I brushed my lips across hers, teasing. “I know what you need.” I kissed her once then tugged on her hair to force her mouth away, and she made a noise of defeat. “I know what riles you up and what keeps you sane. You are mine. Always will be. No matter the situation, no matter how fucked up life gets. Mine. Do you understand?” I kissed her harder, sliding my tongue over her lips before plunging it through. Her body was lax, her breaths intense and quick as our tongues collided. Blood pumped between my legs, bringing my cock to life all over again. Fuck, she drove me crazy.
She sucked on my bottom lip and my hardening cock twitched, eager to be inside her again. She then looked up at me with a face so angelic, it made my heart boom, knowing I probably wasn’t worthy of a presence like hers, but was also too damn stubborn to let this angel go.
When our mouths parted, they hovered. Hovered, but hardly touched.
“I will always be yours,” she whispered.
And I knew she’d meant it.
Twenty-Six
KANDY
Cane ordered room service for lunch. Hot sandwiches and Mountain Dew were on the menu and I was glad he’d remembered my favorite soda.
There was a reason I’d taken so long to meet him at the gas station. I had contemplated before going. I literally paced my dorm room, after pretending I didn’t feel up to par to shop with Morgan and Gina, debating whether or not to meet Cane. I weighed the pros and the cons repeatedly, and somehow the pros outweighed them.
I met him because I knew I would regret not going to see him. It was a good thing I showed up when I did too. I could tell he’d gotten tired of waiting.
We lounged around on his bed, the perfect lazy Sunday. He’d answered a few business calls, but I didn’t mind. I was just happy to be around him.
“So how was it your sister’s idea for you to come here?” I asked when he sat in the chair across the room. I was laying belly-flat on the bed, my phone in hand, waiting for an email to show up to tell me my grade for a quiz we had the past Friday.
“Oh.” He smirked, spreading his legs apart and sliding his palms over the thighs of his pants. “Well, she’s the one who told me about the seminar. I’ve told her quite a few things about you. She’s also a persistent little shit, kept pushing me for answers. I told her what school you went to, how I’d probably never see you again because you were so far away, and the whole thing with your parents knowing.” He shrugged. “Then, a couple weeks later, she tells me about the seminar, and how they were looking for business owners to come speak and share their personal success stories.”
“Really?” I smiled, amused.
“Yep. She sent the link to me in a
n email, but before that she signed me up without my permission. I was annoyed at first…but the idea of seeing you again grew on me.” He laughed. “If you can’t tell, my sister is fascinated with the idea of you. She also doesn’t care about consequences.”
“I can see that,” I laughed with him. “Why is she so fascinated?”
“Because for one, she knows you are years younger than me. She also got a kick out of the whole best friend’s daughter thing—said it sounded like something out of a book or from a soap opera.”
I grinned. Now that I thought about it, it did seem like it.
“And also because there are times when she’ll catch me thinking about you,” he continued, voice softer.
“How?”
“I don’t know. Just by little things. Like over dinner with her and my mother. I’d space out a little, and somehow she just knew who I was thinking about. She said she’d never seen ‘love’ on me before. Apparently to her, love looks weird on me.”
I broke out in a laugh, dropping my phone and sitting up. “Is it true that you love me that much?” I asked, my voice gentler. “So much that you came all the way here, spoke to a bunch of students who have probably already forgotten about your speech, just to see me?”
Cane sighed and held my eyes for a split second. He pushed to a stand, walking toward the bed. When he stopped on my side, he looked down with warm eyes.
“I lost my best friend because I couldn’t stay away from you. In the beginning, I thought it was an addiction, you know? Addicted to the risk of it—the temptation. The thrill. I figured, maybe if I went a while without seeing you, I could detox and forget about what we had. That didn’t even come close to happening. Every day felt more painful than the last. We spent that time together at the lake house and I can’t forget it. I can’t forget how perfect it was, or how you were there for me, and would have done literally anything for me. I can’t forget holding you in my arms, or caressing you in your sleep.” He placed a hand on the side of my face then used the pads of his fingers to gently caress the skin behind my ear. “I can’t forget your voice or these pouty, pink lips,” he went on, thumb skimming over my mouth. “I can’t forget you, Kandy. I’ve tried, but it’s not possible.”
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