by Jewel E. Ann
Butterflies fluttered through my stomach as I thought about jumping out of a plane fifteen thousand feet up in the air. Quinn and Zach spent two summers during college being tandem instructors, plus they both had extensive experience in all areas of skydiving. Unequivocally, we were in good hands, but that didn’t completely calm my nerves. I was certain Eden was much worse off that morning, while on the flip side it was just another day in the life of Quinn and Zach.
I wiggled my butt against Quinn’s firm friend as a wake up call.
“Mmm, does my wanton fiancée request servicing this morning?” he mumbled into my neck as he tilted his pelvis into me.
“Tempting, but we’d better get up—”
“Done.” He rubbed into me again.
“We’d better get out of bed and check on Eden. I’m guessing she’s already wrapped around the toilet dry heaving.”
“Then we’d better give her some time. Zach will figure out a way to calm her nerves.” He splayed his palm over my stomach then slid it down until two of his fingers grazed over my clit. “How’s my baby? Can I help relieve some tension?”
“Quinn, we don’t have time,” I insisted.
He lifted my leg and slid into me. “Ah … but I can be quick.” His hips started a slow rhythm and his fingers circled my swollen bud.
“Mmm, I suppose if you’re quick,” I purred while grinding my butt back into him.
He kissed my back and shoulders then moved his free hand to my breast. My nipples were already hard so his touch was fuel to my fire.
“Better hurry, babe. I’m going to beat you to the finish,” I said between strained breaths. His thrusts became unyielding as he tugged harder at my nipple. “Ahhh!” I cried out.
“That’s what I want to hear. Let go, my beautiful,” he demanded while his fingers worked the most sensitive part of my clit even faster. I gave it up to him while I reached around and dug my fingers into his hard ass bringing him to his release.
He fell back against the bed. “I’m sooo glad you waited for me before you let go of your sexual inhibitions. Your body is so responsive and it fucking drives me crazy.”
I rolled toward him. “It’s responsive to you, and I’m sure you’re real unfamiliar with women being responsive to you,” I mocked.
“Not like you, not like us. I’ve obviously been sexually attracted to other women. What man hasn’t? But I never understood the concept of chemistry between two people until you. I’ve never felt addicted to a person, sex maybe, but not a specific person. You bring out an insatiable desire in me—addiction, like an actual chemical reaction. Everything about you is an aphrodisiac to me and it doesn’t matter how many times we have sex or how much time we spend together, it never seems like enough.”
I propped my head up on my arm. “I’m going to geek-out on you but just for about thirty seconds. They’re called pheromones, naturally occurring odorless substances excreted by the fertile body triggering a response from the opposite sex. Dr. Winnifred Cutler, of the Athena Institute for Women’s Wellness, conducted the first controlled study documenting pheromones’ existence in humans. Basically we have very compatible pheromones; we crave each other. It’s the same concept in animals, but scientists have known about that for years. Studies in humans are a relatively newer discovery. You can experience sexual pleasure or gratification without the chemical or pheromone attraction, but it’s the craving of that specific person that you’re experiencing with … me. Very, very, very lucky me.” I leaned into him and kissed his nipple before rolling my tongue around it. “Glad to know you experience the same attraction. Here I thought it was just me ogling you all the time like a bitch in heat.”
A sound of amusement escaped him. “A bitch in heat, huh? God, I love the way you talk a mile over my head one minute, then explain it to me like you would a five-year-old the next.”
“I probably wouldn’t talk to a five year old about a bitch in heat, but I’m glad you understand.”
An instant later he hopped out of bed then pulled me up behind him. “Let’s go jump out of a plane. Then we’ll come back here and I’ll fuck you to the wall until my euphoria starts to wear off.”
I smacked him on his bare ass as I cut him off on the way to the bathroom. “Wow, so relieved to know you’re already working on your wedding vows. Nothing says forever quite like ‘I’ll fuck you to the wall.’”
*
It took about fifteen minutes for Quinn and Zach to give us our instructions on the ground before we geared up and took off in our little plane. I was nervous-excited but Eden was a complete basket case. As we approached our drop zone Quinn and Zach made all of the final preparations.
“We won’t be able to verbally communicate during the free fall, only hand gestures. Just enjoy the ride. I know you’re going to love it. And remember,” Quinn added while looking at Eden, “it doesn’t feel like falling, it feels like flying.”
She returned a forced, nervous smile as we took our final steps forward before taking the plunge. Zach and Eden went first and we followed them. It was amazing, not at all how I imagined. My anticipation was for a roller coaster sensation in my tummy, but it wasn’t. We were more like Lois Lane and Superman. I felt weightless flying through the sky. It was easy to enjoy the ride. I wholly trusted Quinn and if there had been any sort of equipment failure, I would have been happy to die in his arms. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, giving us a beautifully unobstructed view of Seville. My one complaint was it was over too soon. We were in free fall for about a minute before Quinn deployed the parachute which floated us back to the earth in a little over five minutes. We all landed without a hitch.
“Holy Shit!” I yelled. “That was the most extraordinary rush ever!”
Quinn released our equipment and I jumped into his arms wrapping my legs around him as we kissed with crazy intensity. I was euphoric sharing his adrenaline rush.
“I knew you’d love it.” He pulled back with a huge grin on his face.
Eden was a little shaky still but her smile masked any residual nervousness.
“I would totally do that again!” she declared.
We headed back to the hotel for showers and brunch. I didn’t eat before we left that morning and neither had Eden, but inevitably once my body settled back down I was starving. Quinn held true on his promise, but it was technically the shower wall he fucked me against. It was quick and hard, and I wanted it just as much as he needed it.
He made a few business calls while I dried my hair in just my bra and panties. I ran my fingers through my long blonde locks, and he walked up behind me wearing faded jeans that hung deliciously from his sculpted hips. He didn’t have a shirt on yet and his hair was a messy black mop of sexiness. I turned toward him and flipped my hair out of my face before I aimed the dryer at his hair and reached up to run my fingers through it. I tugged at it while the warm air blew in every direction. After shutting it off and pulling the plug, I dropped it to the floor. Quinn stepped closer until the backs of my legs hit the edge of the vanity.
I laid my hands on his chest as he pushed my hair back off my shoulders. Leaning down, he kissed my neck letting his tongue wet a trail to my jaw. He wrapped his hands under my legs and lifted me onto the vanity.
“Quinn, they’re waiting on us,” I moaned as his hands squeezed my legs and his thumbs grazed my inner thighs just below my panties.
“So,” he murmured as his lips found mine.
His tongue casually explored my mouth as the minty flavor from our toothpaste mixed between us. Keeping his mouth soundly pressed to mine, he worked the buttons of his jeans. The word “no” wasn’t in his mentality of understanding at the moment, which was fine because my body was on high alert for his.
*
We were forty minutes late for brunch. Zach and Eden were nearly finished eating by the time we walked up to the table.
“Sorry we couldn’t wait,” Zach said as he took his last bite.
“Neither could we.” Quinn winked
at me as he pulled out my chair.
I blushed when Zach gave me a knowing eye. Eden saved me by quickly changing the subject.
“I was thinking we could use some shopping therapy, or at least I could, and I know Addy will be better company than someone else.” She glared at Zach.
“What? I’ll go shopping with you.”
“No, you’ll go pick up necessary items, you won’t let me shop. You expect me to find what I’m looking for, but I like to let it find me.”
We laughed and I patted Eden on the hand. “I’m your girl.” She smiled in appreciation knowing I wasn’t much of a shopper. We had a lot in common but designer clothing, shoes, and hand bags were her weaknesses, not mine.
“That settles it. You lovely ladies enjoy your afternoon and us guys will do … guy things,” Zach declared with a mischievous grin.
Quinn shrugged his shoulders in innocence.
We ate our fill while Zach helped Eden enter all the best shopping locations into her phone.
She noticed my empty plate then jumped out of her chair. “Let’s do this, Addy!”
Zach retrieved a credit card out of his wallet and handed it to her. “Go wild, sexy.” She leaned in for a kiss of gratitude.
Quinn stood and pulled my chair out while I got up. He wrapped me in his arms moving his hand down over my butt. “I’d rather drag you back upstairs,” he grumbled in my ear.
“Mmm, later.” I pulled away and grabbed my purse. “Aren’t you going to offer me your credit card?” The humor wasn’t lost on Quinn alone as I heard Zach and Eden trying to stifle their snickering.
“Funny, baby, we’ll see who has the last laugh later when you’re tied naked to the bed.”
Choking, I was utterly horrified that he said that out loud. I turned to leave and Eden’s gaze met mine, her face conveyed she was sharing my embarrassment. I didn’t dare a glance at Zach. He was probably giving Quinn knuckles, a high five, or some other sort of childish frat boy approval.
*
Eden and I spent the next four hours shopping. I purchased T-shirts, shorts, shoes, socks, toiletries, food, and water. Then I handed it all out to various homeless people we encountered.
In the car on our way back to the hotel Eden was unusually quiet, even for her.
“It’s been a great day, don’t you think?” I asked, trying to gauge her mood.
“Yeah,” was all she said.
“Are you okay?” I finally asked.
“Yes … well, no. I mean, I feel like such a pathetic loser around you.”
“What?” I gasped in surprise.
“It’s just that I’m heading back to the hotel with all of this stuff and everything you purchased you gave away. You make me feel so materialistic sometimes.”
“Oh, Eden, that’s not at all my intention. Everybody has their own unique journey and mine has led me to this point in my life. I haven’t always been so willing to just give everything away. There’s so much about me and my past that you don’t understand, but I don’t ever want you to think that I’m judging you for your choices. You’re a very caring and giving person and that part of you will continue to blossom, okay?”
She gave me a half smile. “Okay.”
“Okay then, put on your happy face before we get back to our guys.”
“You’re the best, Addy. Quinn was right to choose you.”
Uh, what?
I gave Eden a confused look. “What do you mean ‘choose’ me?”
“Just that we all wanted to be the one that captured Quinten Cohen’s heart. Nobody ever thought it would happen. You know, with him having been such a player for so many years.”
I shook my head, uncertain if I heard her correctly. “’We?’ Are you implying you—”
“Oh shit, Addy, I thought you knew.” She covered her mouth as her face contorted in a horrified expression.
“You’ve been … intimate with Quinn?”
She nervously stared at me and slowly nodded her head.
“And … Zach knows this?” I questioned, my voice louder than I intended it to be.
“Of course, Quinn introduced us.”
The car pulled up outside our hotel, but I couldn’t wait for the driver to open the door before I jumped out leaving Eden behind buried in her bags of designer crap.
“Addy, wait!” she yelled as her impractical heels clicked the ground behind me.
I breezed through the door into the hotel lobby and the party kicked up another notch. Quinn and Zach were standing off to my right talking to some older couple I didn’t recognize. Quinn caught sight of me and smiled briefly before both he and Zach were distracted by Eden’s voice echoing through the door.
Quinn looked back at Eden with a confused look.
“Quinn, I’m so sorry, I thought she knew.”
He didn’t require further explanation before he immediately chased me to the elevator. “Addy, wait!”
He wasn’t quite quick enough. The doors closed before he could stop them. I exhaled a sigh of relief. I needed the thirty seconds alone in the elevator to gather my thoughts before facing Quinn, who I knew was sprinting up the stairs to greet me when I reached our floor. The anger and hurt inside of me was boiling over. I felt like such a fool and betrayed. Eden was my friend too, and I knew the way I looked at her would never be the same. It wasn’t her fault, but the image of Quinn with her, in her was too much.
The doors opened and, as expected, he was sucking in some extra air as he tried to corner me in the elevator.
“Addy, don’t be upset.”
I brushed past him to our room. He was right on my heels and as soon as the door shut behind him I turned, took off both of my shoes, and hurled them at him one right after the other. The first missed his head only by a few inches, but the other bull’s-eyed to the middle of his face, the right side of his upper lip taking the brunt of it.
“What the hell are you doing?” he yelled as he touched his hand to his lip, smearing the blood with his fingers.
He lifted the hem of his shirt and pressed it against his lip to stop the bleeding.
“What does it look like? I’m lashing out because I received, yet another reminder, that I’m engaged to a manwhore. Tell me, Quinn, would it just be easier to make a list of the women who you haven’t screwed?”
He removed his bloodied shirt and walked into the bathroom, returning a few minutes later with a wet wash cloth pressed to his lip. His next words dripped with contempt in a slow angry voice. “You know I’ve been with a lot of women. Just because I’m the only man still alive that’s been inside you doesn’t give you the right to act all fucking noble.”
My hand contacted his face so hard I thought my whole arm was going to fall off. “Go to hell, you fucking asshole!” I growled between clenched teeth. He had blood smeared all the way across his face because my hand reopened the cut on his lip that had just started to clot. I looked down at my left hand and my ring was covered in blood. It must have been turned slightly when I hit him. There was too much blood on his face to assess how much damage my ring did to his already injured lip. Unlucky for Quinn, I was ambidextrous so using my left hand to smack him was as likely as using my right.
I looked up at him, blood dripping down his face, his whole mouth looked bloodied like a boxer’s after a fight. He didn’t move. He still had the washcloth in his hand, but both of his arms hung limp to his sides in defeat.
An apology dangled on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t. I had trusted Quinn with a painful piece of my past, and he threw it back in my face in the most ugly fashion. Without question I provoked him, but I had to know that I could trust him with the broken pieces of my heart without fear of him crushing them further. He needed to know it too.
Silence. There weren’t anymore words to be shared. I took the washcloth from his hand and pressed it to his lip. He didn’t jump but I noticed the skin at the corners of his eyes crease as he tensed a little. After a few minutes I folded the washcloth over and ging
erly wiped the blood off of his face. He never took his eyes off me. It angered me and broke my heart at the same time. I reached for his hand and pulled him to the bathroom, and he willingly followed. I gently pushed him back until he sat on the toilet seat. Then after rinsing the blood from the wash cloth, I finished wiping his face off. His lip was swollen but the bleeding had stopped again. I soaped up my hands and scrubbed them clean, working my finger over the gemstones set in my ring.
Closing my eyes for a moment after drying my hands, I took a deep breath and swallowed my emotions. Then I moved to him so I was standing between his legs. I looked into his sorrowful eyes then focused on the mangled corner of his lip. Cupping his face in my hands, I leaned in and whispered a kiss over his lip before I rested my forehead to his. A few moments later he wrapped his arms around me and rested his head against my chest while I ran my hands through his hair and held him tight.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”
~Helen Keller
WE NEVER SPOKE of that incident again. I apologized to Eden for how I treated her and she tried to apologize for mentioning it, but I assured her it wasn’t her fault and no apology was necessary. Zach insisted they had to bail on the rest of the trip because he had something with work come up. I didn’t press him on it, but I suspected he and Eden wanted to step back from the hurricane that was Quinn and Addy. Things felt a little uneasy after that day, and time was what we all needed to heal our wounds.
I considered suggesting to Quinn that we head home early too, but that would have meant admitting there was still something between us that wasn’t quite right. We felt the need to forget and forgive in the silence of each other’s arms, so that’s what we did. When we made love, there was a desperate intensity that hadn’t been there before. It was our unspoken apologies to each other and our way of soothing the emotional scars.