by Amelia Shea
“Ya know, Ethan, I may be just a waitress, but I worked really hard, and while Pearl may not have always made the right choices, she is a friend of mine. So, if you can find it in you, please try to muster up a little respect for myself and my friend. Your judgment is not invited to my wedding.”
Sadie walked through the door. Seeing the hurt in her eyes had T seconds from beating the shit out of Ethan himself. Sadie was a good person, better than most. She did not deserve that and T was going to set Ethan straight, right fucking now.
“Who the fuck do you think you are?” Stone raged from across the table, all his focus on Ethan. Stone’s face had gone red and his temple twitched.
Ethan held up one hand. “You know I adore Sadie. I’d never intentionally hurt her.”
Stone stood up so quickly his chair fell back on the floor. “You just did, motherfucker! You better listen the fuck up, E, ’cause I’m not gonna say it again. You ever, fucking ever hurt that girl again, brother or no brother, I will kick the living shit out of you and cut your fucking tongue out, you arrogant son of a bitch.” Stone stalked to the kitchen door, turning to Ethan. “You’re lucky we’re sitting at Dad’s table, ’cause if this happened anywhere else, you’d be breathing through a fucking tube right now.” Stone threw open the door and walked through.
The room lay silent. T chanced a look at Cassie; she was staring down at her clasped hands in her lap. How the hell did this night get so fucked up? He was quickly reminded by the voice at the end of the table.
“Tsk, tsk, Ethan, someone forgot those fancy manners they were taught.”
Ethan turned his head slowly to glare at Emory. “You enjoying this rift you’re causing between my family and I?”
“Me? Oh, no, sweetheart, this shit storm is all on you.” She pointed at him. “You made your bed, now you can lie in it.” Emory quirked her brow and sneered. “With your cousin.”
T looked over again at Cassie; she remained silent like the rest of the table but her eyes were widened. As if it couldn’t get any worse. He was pretty sure her family dinners never consisted of philandering waitresses, moral insults, and banging cousins. T dragged his hand down his face. They should have stayed in bed and ordered a pizza.
Ethan sat back in his chair glowering at Emory. She looked completely at ease.
“Tell me something, Emory. What bothers you more, that I’m sleeping with Nina or that I’m not sleeping with you?”
Emory lost a bit of her composure. T caught the brief hurt in her eyes. But she gained it back and smirked. “Oh, that ship sailed, my friend, my childhood infatuation for you is long gone. Holding my V card for you…done and over…see ya!”
“Em,” Roxanne snapped.
T watched Stone come back into the room, anger on his face.
“What? He asked. I just answered his question. Jeez, Rox, settle down. Isn’t this what family dinners are all about? Sharing.”
“Yeah, if you’re family, which I’ll remind you…you are not.”
“Ethan!” Roxanne shouted and slammed her hand on the down.
“What? She can spew her so-called honesty but I can’t. She’s your friend, yes, but she’s not family. Her hatred of her own family doesn’t give her a place in this one.”
“You better pull back on that shit, E,” T warned at the same time Bogs chimed in, “Shut up, E.”
It was no secret in their family that Emory did not have a great childhood. She’d spent most of her growing up years under their roof. But no ever talked about it. Ever.
“Great, so now I’m the asshole.”
“Yup, finally speaking the truth.” Emory laughed, raising her arms triumphantly.
T turned to Emory. “Knock it off.”
Emory raised her eyebrows and suppressed a laugh. But she stopped.
“I’m done here, this is ridiculous.” Ethan stood up and straightened his pants. He threw his napkin down and started to walk away.
“You’re not going to grab your plate? Oh, wait, that’s right, that’s beneath you.” She cupped her hands over her mouth and shouted, “Hey, Sadie, Ethan has something for you.”
All at once the room erupted.
“Hey!” Bogs grumbled.
“What the fuck, Em?” T snarled.
Ethan jumped up from the table and shouted, “You fucking little bitch!”
Ethan stormed past the table which everyone jumped up from. T barely had time to grab Ethan. He was fuming mad and heading in Emory’s direction. The room was total chaos. Bogs raced to Emory and pulled her out of her seat.
“Everyone calm the fuck down!” T shouted. He held Ethan back. He was sure Ethan would never hurt a woman but this thing had gotten completely out of control. Bogs stood in front of Emory. She was cruelly smiling; she appeared proud of herself. She’d done the unthinkable; she’d made Ethan lose his cool, something he rarely did.
Roxanne got in between him and Bogs. “What the hell is wrong with you, Emory?”
“What? Me? He started all this and…” Emory fumbled back to Roxanne. Her voice was questioning.
Roxanne shook her head. “No, Em, you goaded him. This whole conversation, you just kept poking and poking.”
“Are you serious? The way he was acting with Sadie? You think that’s okay?”
Roxanne shook her again. “No way, Em, this wasn’t about Sadie, that was just your in. Don’t make this about you sticking up for Sadie, you were just waiting for any opportunity to go at him and you know it.” Roxanne and Emory were locked in a stare that left the room thick.
The air in the room was tense.
Roxanne sighed. “Jeez, Em.”
“I should go.” Emory glared at Roxanne. Those two had been tight since they were five. A few fights here and there but nothing that separated them like this. Emory walked around Bogs and grabbed her bag from the table.
Roxanne deflated with a sigh; this was a hard spot to be in for his little sister. Her eyes pleaded. “Em, please…you don’t have to leave.”
Emory turned around, face blank, and looked at all of them. “Yeah…I think I do. Ethan’s right, this isn’t my family.”
“Em…” Roxanne sighed. Emory ignored her and walked past them.
She looked over to the door where Sadie stood silent. She must have come in but T hadn’t realized. “Sadie, I’m sorry. You know I would never do anything to hurt you, right?”
“I know that, Em,” Sadie whispered.
God, this night was fucked.
T watched Roxanne start to Em but she held up her hand and shook her head. “I gotta go, Rox. Sorry that I fucked up your family dinner.”
She turned her hard gaze to Ethan. T couldn’t see Ethan’s face but he felt his body tense under his hands.
Emory stood straight up and took a breath. “I’m sorry, Ethan…sorry I ever met you.” She turned and walked out the door.
Chapter 20
CASSIE’S head dug deeper into the pillow, her neck straining, fingers gripping the sheets. “Ahhhh…right there, baby, don’t stop! There, there, there,” she gasped, on the verge of the best orgasm of her life. Through hooded eyes, she peered down to watch T between her legs. There was nothing hotter than watching this man’s mouth on her. His tongue circled her clit before sucking the sensitive nub between his lips.
“T…” Her body spasmed in ecstasy, her orgasm ripping through her. She felt the shivers everywhere, from her core to her toes, which were currently twitching. He didn’t let up on her until she begged him to stop. “Baby, please…I need you inside me.”
He growled against her pussy, dragging his tongue across her ultra-sensitive spot. His mouth feathered kisses over her stomach and across her ribs until he reached her breasts. His head was low and she couldn’t see his face. His bearded chin grazed over her erect nipple. The scratchy friction made her moan and she thought she might come again when his mouth latched onto her.
“You’re being a tease.” She feigned
annoyance.
“No teasing here, pixie. I’m gonna give you my cock.” His voice was gravelly against her breast. “You want my cock?”
“Yeah.” She panted and closed her eyes. Her pussy tingled and heat rippled through her.
“Where?” He mouthed her breast, sucking her nipple hard then licking it slowly. Oh, God! She wiggled against him, needing him inside her. Her only thought was of coming again.
He licked up her chest and stopped at her neck under her ear. “Where do you want my cock, baby?”
Her head clouded from arousal, then melted from him calling her baby. He had only called her sweet names a few times but she loved those words coming from his mouth. She felt her juices seep from her; his words made her even wetter.
“Inside me.”
His hand caressed her naked body and stopped on her pussy. “Here?” His finger moved down further between her crease and his finger gently probed her puckered entrance. “Or here?” His mouth sucked in her earlobe and his teeth grazed.
Oh, my God!
She gasped. She’d never done that before. She’d never so much as had any kind of anal play until T in the truck. Her body heated as she thought of how it felt, erotic and dirty and so friggin’ good. But that was a finger, and T was way bigger than a finger.
Panic started to rise in her chest; her heart beat erratically. T raised his head, his eyes meeting hers. She felt uncomfortable and awkward and scared. She wanted to but fear was beating out her arousal.
“Hey,” he whispered, holding her stare. His lips pressed against hers in a soft kiss, wet lips moving over hers. Her body relaxed slightly.
In the midst of the kiss, T’s erection positioned over her core sliding between her wet lips, deep, filling her up. She wrapped her arms around his tattoo-covered back and he sunk deeper into her.
His elbows were on either side of her head, hands running over her short hair. He fucked her slow and deep, each thrust deeper than the next. She gasped at the sensation. This was so good. His body covered hers but she didn’t feel the weight of him, just his skin against hers, his dick driving into her, filling her.
She opened her eyes to find him gazing at her affectionately. He leaned down, peppering her lips with kisses before resting his forehead against hers.
Cassie felt it in her heart seeing the look in his eyes. They weren’t having sex, they weren’t fucking. T was making love to her. She had never fully understood the term until this very moment. He was loving her. Her hands caressed his back, needing to touch his body. His slow strokes deepened but never quickened. His body blanketed her moving deep inside her.
She tilted her head back, searching for his lips, breathing his breath. She felt her climax climb slowly to its peak at the same time he whispered her name. Through two deep thrusts his body quivered against her and the sound of his deep grunt rang through the room.
Amazing.
They stayed bound together in silence. That was like nothing she’d ever felt before. She had never felt this close to anyone.
He slowly pulled out from her, kissing her forehead, and rolled away from her. Once he cleaned up, he crawled back in bed, pulling her back into his chest. She could feel in heartbeat.
“About before…um, where I wanted you to…uh?” Her face heated.
He pulled her in tighter to his body, his colorful arms holding her still. Her head under his, she felt his lips press against the top of her head, then heard him whisper, “When you’re ready, I’m gonna show you how good it can be.” She locked her lips in a tight line. She knew exactly what he was saying. He wouldn’t pressure her or rush her, only she would decide when she was ready to take it a step further.
* * * *
“What the fuck?” T snarled, looking down at the dashboard clock. Five-thirty. He had been sitting in front of Cassie’s office for the last thirty minutes. Every text he sent she replied with, “I’ll be out in a minute.”
T dragged his hand over his head for the tenth time. Shit was getting long; he needed to buzz it again. Looking over at the door he let out an angry sigh. He’d give her five more minutes, then he was dragging her ass out of there.
He looked around the empty lot his mind wandering to the past week. That was the only reason he wasn’t already in there. Thinking of Cassie and the week they had was worth reminiscing. He fucked her in his bed, in the shower; she sucked him off on the couch and in the kitchen. His dick got hard thinking of her dropping to her knees unexpectedly and giving him the best blow job of his life. No doubts anymore, his girl was dirty.
She was funny, too. He never laughed so much in his life as much as he did when he was with Cassie. She said people always referred to her as quirky. That was accurate. It was her and he liked it. She was different and she didn’t pretend to be something she wasn’t. He was done, this girl had him and whether she knew it or not, he wasn’t letting go. No fucking way.
His cell buzzed and he looked down.
Stone: We’ll be there at 6:30 with dinner and beers.
T looked at the clock. 5:37.
“Fuck!” He opened his door and got out, stalking to the glass door and whipping it open.
The office was quiet. He walked down the hall to the large room where he saw Cassie leaning over the shoulder of another girl at a desk. Both were engrossed with what was on the computer. T walked up and stopped behind Cassie.
“Pix.”
Both girls jumped back, the girl sitting bumped into Cassie, who fell into T’s arms.
“Jeez T, you scared the crap out of us.” She giggled.
“Get your stuff, you’re done.”
“But I…” Cassie pointed to the computer.
“Stone and Sadie are going to be at the house before us if we don’t leave now.”
She looked distraught, caught between wanting to go and wanting to stay.
The brown-haired chick with a tight bun in her hair and ugly glasses sitting at the end of her nose said, “Go, Cassie, I’ll figure this out. It’s my fault anyway. I don’t want to make you even more late than I already have.” She turned to T. “I’m sorry.”
She looked almost scared and definitely weary. He got that look from most people but on her it looked more severe.
“Are you sure?” Cassie asked.
“Positive, you go. It’ll be fine.” Her smile was strained and awkward.
“Okay.” Cassie turned to T and grabbed his hand. “Oh, Evie, this is T.”
She blushed and her smile got tighter. “Nice to meet you. Sorry for keeping her.”
T relaxed his face in hopes of putting her at ease and gave her a small smile. “No problem.”
He backed up and Cassie grabbed her bag from the desk and they walked out. Cassie looked back and waved. “Have a great weekend, Evie.”
T vaguely heard, “You too,” uttered as the door closed behind them. They hurried to the truck, T hoisting her up and getting in himself before driving back to his place.
“So, what’s her deal?”
“Who, Evie?”
T nodded.
“She’s just shy. It doesn’t help that Beverly treats her like her own personal punching bag,” Cassie said, annoyed.
Ten minutes later, they pulled into his driveway. Hopping out of the truck, he noticed Cassie stop and look over next door. His eyes followed her to see Rona falling out of her too-small bikini as she bent over her car while soaping it up.
T snorted and Cassie’s eyes whipped back to him.
“What?”
“Is that necessary?” She motioned to Rona.
“Free country, Cass, she can do whatever the fuck she pleases, including washing her car in next to nothing.” He was trying to hold back; seeing Cassie get angry was some funny shit.
“Hmmmmm…your truck needs a good cleaning, maybe I should go put my bikini on?”
T growled and glared. “Don’t even fucking try it.”
“Why? It’s a free co
untry, right?”
He scooped her up around her waist and carried her inside, well aware of Rona’s eyes on them.
“Try it and I’ll paddle that ass,” he growled, “and then I’ll fuck it.”
Cassie gave him a sexy pouty smile and kissed him. He knew she wanted it; they’d been ass playing all week. She practically begged for it last night but he was waiting. Making her wait.
He slammed the door behind him.
Two hours later, dinner was done and the girls had cleaned up. Stone was ready to give Sadie her surprise. A dog was something Sadie had wanted since she was a kid. She had a shitty childhood, and Stone wanted more than anything to fulfill her dreams. Dickhead was so pussy-whipped he got her two fucking dogs.
They stood in the kitchen, Stone by the door with the puppies in it. T watched as he opened it staring at Sadie. Sadie looked over at him with confused eyes till she heard a yelp. She gasped and ran to Stone before screaming, “Oh, my God!”
What the hell was it with chicks and puppies? Her scream had him wondering if he’d ever gain hearing in his left ear again. He pulled Cassie by the hand to the doorway. Sadie had hopped the gate and the puppies were jumping all over her. T watched as her tear-filled eyes looked up to Stone and mouthed, “I love you so much.”
T pulled Cassie into his chest. Looking down at her, he saw it. She smiled at Sadie and the puppies but it didn’t reach her eyes. She looked almost sad. She was sad, she was losing the puppies. More importantly, she was losing Baxter. She didn’t think he noticed but he did. He was her favorite and now he was leaving.
“God, Stone, I just…you did this…” Happy tears streamed down her face. “Thank you.”
Stone smiled.
T looked over at Cassie, her eyes fixed on Baxter. Ah, fuck it.
“Brown one’s mine.”
Sadie looked up in confusion at the same time Stone did.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Stone asked. He gave T a confused ‘What the fuck?’ look.
“Brown one is mine; I’ll get Sadie another dog to replace him.” He pointed at Baxter. “But that one’s mine.”
“Oh,” Sadie said, looking at Stone, who was glaring at T.