“Hales, are you sure?”
She groans. “Damn it, Gaige. YES! Okay? I’m sure I want to have this earth-shattering orgasm I’m on the verge of having. I’m sure I want to have sex with you. I’m sure it’s going to change things. I’m also sure I don’t give a crap at this moment.”
She pulls at me again and this time I don’t hold back. I push inside her gently at first, but the moment her inner muscles grapple at me, I’m a goner.
Pumping in and out and in and out, I lose myself inside her.
“Holy shit. We just had sex.”
My body shakes with laughter as it rumbles through me. “We did.”
“I just…wow.” She covers her face with her hands. “I cannot believe we did that.”
My eyebrows rise reflexively as I roll over to face her and peel her hands from her face. I tuck my arm under my head, watching the beauty in bed next to me do the same. Her hair is a mess, but it’s the sexiest mess I’ve seen in a long time. She peers over at me with those captivating green eyes of hers, bright with the high of an orgasm. She’s lying right next to me but her eyes are telling me she’s busy hanging out on cloud nine. I love that I put her there.
“In a good or bad way?” I question.
A sly smile crosses her lips. “Good.”
It’s only milliseconds until the smile slips into a tight frown. This only suppresses my urge to kiss her plump, rosy lips just the slightest. Unable to resist the temptation, and before she can say anything else, I lean closer and rub my nose gently against hers then kiss her sweetly. It’s a quick kiss, so fast that when I pull back, her mouth is hanging open in shock.
“Don’t say anything else. Please.”
She nods once. “My lips are sealed.”
“You just spoke again.”
“Now they’re really sealed.”
“You’re terrible at this,” I tease.
She smiles. Never have I wanted to kiss a smile off someone’s face, and I can’t stifle the urge I have now. I’ve tried for the past ten seconds to do so, and, in my book, that’s far too long. Giving in, I press my lips to hers. This time it’s harder, more urgent. I want to kiss away any doubts she’s having because I know she’s having them. She opens up for me as I trace my tongue across her lips. I explore her mouth with languid sweeps, committing it to memory.
Strawberries. She tastes like strawberries from the wine we had earlier.
She moans, and it’s as if the sound is tethered to my dick. I don’t care that I just emptied myself not even twenty minutes ago; I’m ready for more. She makes me ready for more.
Plain and simple, I want her. Badly. Now. Again.
I move close, diminishing the distance between us because I can’t stand it. I have to be closer. My body is begging for her warmth, her soft skin, her sweet smell. I want to wrap myself up in her. It’s been too long since I’ve had sex and now I can’t seem to get enough.
The kiss in the shop earlier just…happened, but we stopped it…only for it to be picked back up on the couch. One minute we were sitting there, her head on my shoulder, watching a Disney movie I still don’t know the name of, and then next she was in my lap and we were making out.
With the sexual tension brewing between us since this afternoon, I can’t say I’m surprised this is where we ended up. If you’d asked me yesterday if I would be naked in bed with Haley today, I’d have said you were insane, because we weren’t even talking yesterday.
How does that shit happen? Going from one extreme to another all in the span of 24 hours—or in our case, less.
Life is weird.
She makes a small, soft sound, bringing my attention back to the fact that she’s naked next to me. I drop my eyes to her exposed breasts and a need rises in me, one I haven’t experienced in a long time.
“I need to fuck you again,” I whisper, rolling us over until I’m hovering over her. She parts her legs instinctively and I settle between them, grinding myself against her warm center. She moans and my dick jerks at the sound. The fucker is rock solid, ready for round two.
“Gaige, I have to work tomorrow. I need sleep.”
I pull back instantly, staring down at the beautiful siren that just shot me down. Her body is telling me she wants more like I do. It’s her eyes I don’t like.
They’re telling me she’s overthinking this again. Her mind is going a mile a minute, and it’s evident in her stare.
I asked her not even an hour ago if this would change things in the morning. Guess we didn’t have to wait until then.
I feel…used. I know that’s dumb as hell and I shouldn’t feel that way, not with Haley, but it’s true. She’s the one who pursued me. Twice. I understand I wasn’t entirely innocent in this, but it was her idea. How can she take something so important, something she initiated, and throw it off as so…trivial?
“One-night stand, got it.”
She pushes at me and I roll off with pleasure, my own annoyance starting to kick in.
“Did you just…” She gets out of bed and I follow suit. She crosses her arms over her heaving chest, only this time it isn’t moving in rapid succession because of desire. No, that’s anger fueling it—anger I put there.
I want to shout, You’re upset? Join the club! I don’t. It’s the hurt in her eyes that stops me. I hate that. I don’t like not knowing why she’s upset. I don’t think I said anything she wasn’t thinking herself. Is that not what she told me? Thanks for the fuck. Now please leave. Because to me it’s practically what came out of her mouth. Am I the one who’s wrong?
We’ve been…friends for some time now—silent, sneaky friends, but friends nonetheless. Tonight, we took it to the next level.
We fucked. Fast. Hard. Gloriously.
And it was amazing.
My dick twitches at the thoughts running through my mind. How she curled up into me on the sofa, the same as she has so many times before. How good her soft body felt against mine, something I’ve experienced every night we’ve slept next to one another. But tonight, everything was different. It was different in the way she climbed into my lap, how perfectly her ample tits fit into my hands, and the sweet taste of her rosy nipples. The way her moans and cries pleaded for me to move faster, harder, deeper.
Yeah, it was different. In a good way, too.
“Is that what this is?” Her words are sharp, pained even.
I jump at tone of her voice, not about to let myself get kicked down by her sudden attitude change. Mirroring her pose, I stare her down, ready to set her straight.
What the fuck did this turn into? A naked standoff?
I’d laugh, but laughing isn’t something I want to do right now. I want to scream, want to know exactly what it is running through her mind, because I am so confused.
“Come on, Gaige. Is that what this is to you? A one-night stand? Is that what I am to you?” Every word lashes at me like a whip, stinging my skin and cutting deep.
“What? No! That’s what you said! You turned this into that.”
“Because I’m genuinely tired? I’m sorry you’re so good in the sack you exhaust me.” She throws her hands up in the air dramatically. “Oops!”
It’s like I’m in a bumper car with the way this conversation is throwing me around. Frustrated, I pull at my hair, unsure what’s happening right now and not knowing where to take things. This entire friendship with her has been sketchy and mystifying from the start. Adding this to it? Yeah, color me fucking confused.
My mind goes blank. I close my eyes to collect myself because I desperately need a second to breathe.
After a moment living inside my whirring mind—let’s face it, it’s a clusterfuck in there—I decide I’d much rather take my chances in the now. Opening my eyes again, it hits me what’s going on, what that distant look in her eyes earlier was about.
She’s scared, worried what happened will twist whatever semblance of relationship we have, wring it out like a dirty dish rag. But I don’t want that. I don’t want our
relationship to be akin to something dirty, something unworthy. It’s not. Our friendship isn’t wrong; it’s not unworthy. A little confusing, sure, but wrong? No, and what happened tonight sure as fuck isn’t any of those things either.
I’m determined to make sure she knows that.
It also really hits me that we’re both still naked and angry.
Angry sex, anyone? The thought sends a smile across my lips and she glares at me.
“Are you seriously smiling right now?”
I can feel anger coming off her in waves. They’re almost strong enough to drown out the desire floating around, but the swell doesn’t quite trump it.
“Yes.”
“Why.” It’s gritted out like she’s having to reach inside and carefully extract each letter.
I’m so turned on right now. I don’t even try to hide the fact that my dick has decided to start standing at attention. Her eyes fall to my erection, and my smile grows along with my cock.
Slowly, I slink around the bed, noting how unsteady her breaths become the closer I get. When I get within reaching distance, I stop and raise a brow, silently asking if I’m allowed to touch her. She doesn’t say anything, but she also doesn’t move. I take that as my cue.
Wrapping an arm around her waist, I pull her toward me. She complies with ease, proving even more that she wants this too. I scoop her up in both arms, draping her back down across the bed, her feet still dangling off. I crawl on top of her, watching for any signs of uncertainty on her end. There are none.
I lean forward and plant a chaste kiss on her lips. She presses for more but I refuse to give it to her without knowing she’s not going to freak on me again.
“You want this?”
Her nod is small, almost imperceptible, but it’s the yes I need. I kiss her chin and follow an invisible path down her neck, nipping lightly as I make my way to her breasts. I take my time kissing them, sucking the tips of them into my mouth. Her moans spur me on. I manage to reach the nightstand and grab another condom from the two I set there earlier. Breaking away for a moment, I swiftly open the condom and cover myself. My mouth falls to her breasts the moment I’m secure, and her legs instantly fall apart even farther. I line myself up with her warm center and plunge into her without another thought.
She cries out in pleasure and a rush of pride hits me. Her legs wrap around me, pulling me closer into her, begging me to go harder, faster. My natural instinct is to do just that, to lose myself inside her with deep, hard plunges, but my head says the opposite.
We’ve already fucked tonight. No matter how good it could be, I don’t want angry sex right now. That’s not what I want this moment to be about. I need to show her what we’re doing isn’t wrong, that it’s not just a thing to me.
I still, refusing to give in to her.
“What the hell, Gaige!”
“Shhh. Look at me.”
“I am, you asshole.”
“No. Look at me. Get the anger out of your eyes and focus on me.”
She takes a few breaths, her brows still drawn together in aggravation, but I watch as the anger slowly fades away.
“What?”
“This,” I say, “isn’t wrong. Not even a little bit. We’re not doing anything we shouldn’t be doing. We’re both consenting adults. No matter whatever else is going on with us, in our lives, we’re allowed this pleasure, and I think finding it in one another is the perfect setup. It’s okay. We are okay. Got it?”
Hesitation rings loudly in the air.
“Haley? You got that?”
She gulps once, twice as the acceptance starts to whirl around us. “Y-yes. I got it, Gaige. I understand.”
“Good.” I kiss her lightly once again and bring my lips to her ear. “Because I don’t want to just fuck you once, Haley. Possibly not even only twice. I’m going to want thirds and fourths and probably even fifths, and it doesn’t have to mean a single thing for this odd friendship we have. We don’t even have to talk about it outside of the act. I only want to find a moment of peace, and I can find that with you. In you.”
She whimpers at my last two words as I swivel my hips just slightly.
“Friends with benefits?” she whispers.
I smile, and she shivers as my lips graze her ear. I thrust into her again, relishing the sounds she makes as she falls apart around me.
“All the benefits.”
“Have you met Haley yet?”
The mention of the woman I spent last night inside captures my attention, and then it sends me into a downward spiral consisting of image after image of a naked Haley and a naked me wrapped together. The last three months have passed in a blur, almost every day including some form of nudity with Haley. Whatever spurred us together that night was the best thing that’s happened in a long time—for the both of us. She’s smiling again, and I’m able to breathe. It’s been relieving in more ways than one.
I turn to Hudson, cocking my head sideways. “Huh?”
“Haley Kamden? She’s Rae’s sister. I don’t think you two have met yet.”
Oh, Hudson. Let me count the ways I know the woman. I know her know in missionary, from behind, on her knees with my dick in her mouth. Hell, I even know her in reverse cowgirl. Do I know her? Like you wouldn’t believe.
I must hesitate too long in my answer because Hudson lowers his brows and leans forward, his larger frame intimidating me. “Have you?”
“No,” I say too swiftly.
However, Hudson must buy it because he moves back, putting more space between us. “Right. Well, she’s joining us for lunch with Rae.”
In a surprising move from my boss, Hudson decided to close the shop down for the rest of the day and take us all out for lunch at Vern’s. Luckily for his wallet, only three of us employees could join him, the others having decided to head home early and spend some time with their wives and kids.
The biggest shock though is Haley and Rae coming together and joining us. They’ve barely spoken since Rae moved in with Hudson the day I slept with Haley for the first time.
“She…is?” He throws me another odd glance, which I definitely deserve, because I’m acting like a total fucking moron right now. Act cool, Gaige. Right. Easier said than done. “Cool,” I say casually…I think.
“Is she as cool as Rae?” Tucker, who is finally back from his tour, asks. “Because, dude, you fucking scored with that one.”
I want to tell Tuck how Haley is beyond amazing, but I refrain. Even though we’ve moved beyond “just friends”, we still haven’t come clean about knowing one another. Why? It’s fun, especially with this new…thing between us. Keeping it private and ours is better than anything else we have right now. We don’t have to be “on” with one another; we just are. So, we’ve kept it hidden, soaking in its freedom as long as we can. Besides, it’s not like we push away our friends or stop doing other things we were doing; we just spend the nights together whenever our schedules allow. No harm, no foul.
Hudson reaches over and smacks Tuck upside the head. “Of course she’s not, dickweed. My girl is one of a kind.”
“You can say that again.”
“My girl is—”
“One of a kind,” Tucker says. “We get it.”
Hudson smiles proudly. “Anyway, you assholes better be on your best behavior—especially you, Gaige. Don’t scare her off with your scowling.”
“Actually,” Tuck cuts in, eyeing me closely, “ever since I came back, he hasn’t been scowling enough. I’d like to think it’s because his favorite roommate has returned, but I believe something’s up with him. I think he’s seeing someone.”
“Shut the fuck up,” I hiss.
“Who is she?” Tucker pushes.
“No one, you dick. I’m not dating anyone.”
“Everything cool at home?” Hudson, the father of the group, says instantly. His back is straight and I can feel the curiosity pouring out of him.
“Yep. All good. I’m taking the kids out again this weeke
nd for ice cream.” I chuckle lightly. “Wow. It feels surreal to say that. Just a couple months ago I wasn’t even permitted to stay there for more than a few hours without Mercy trying to find my ‘angle’ after everything that happened with Gunner.”
I’ve noticed lately that whenever things are going well with Haley, shit is right with Mercy. It’s like the two are roped together—or maybe I’m the link. Maybe whatever happens with Haley spins me into this whole new person, giving Mercy a new outlook on who I am.
Yeah. No. That sounds dumb.
“She’s a tough old broad. I don’t envy you,” Tucker says, taking a sip of the soda in front of him.
“Who’s tough?” Rae says as she pops in out of nowhere.
“Hey! You’re right on time,” Hudson says as he scoots over, allowing room for Rae to squeeze into the oversized booth with him.
My eyes land on the beauty with her hands stuck in her back pockets standing at the end of the table. I barely talk myself out of jumping from the booth, wrapping my arms around her, and giving her one hell of a greeting.
We’ve been spending a lot of nights together, probably too many for two people trying to keep things on a friends-with-benefits level, but it’s hard to keep our hands off each other. Sometimes I feel like we’re one of those newlywed couples who have the urge to screw constantly. I mean, we do more than have sex, but it’s definitely taken precedence over our usual Netflix nights.
We lock gazes for a second before she tears her eyes from mine straightaway.
Back.
It.
The.
Fuck.
Up.
Did she really just blow me off? What, we’re not allowed to be friendly in public? I know we’re still keeping this “friendship” under wraps, especially since we’ve progressed our relationship, but to full-out give me the cold shoulder? Shit. It hurts—a lot worse than I thought it would.
“Oh, hey,” Rae says once she breaks free of a kiss from Hudson. “Everyone, this is my older sister Haley. Hales”—my eyes fall to slits at the use of the nickname rolling off someone else’s lips, even if it is her sister—“tattoo guy is Tucker, new kid is Maddox, and this fine piece of man meat is Gaige.”
Here's to Now Page 15